Telecommunication apparatuses (such as mobile phones) of lately are designed in compact size in order to facilitate carrying thereof. The more convenient for the user to carry the handheld mobile phone, the smaller the dimension should become. In order to eliminate the bulky size (such as stand alone type), some mobile phones are designed in foldable type (generally known as flip phone or flip cell phone).
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional flip phone 2 generally includes a main body 6, a cover member 4, and a coupler shaft 12. The main body 6 has an input keypad 10 and a pair of spaced apart pivot seats 602 at one end thereof. The cover member 4 has a display screen 8 and a tubular sleeve 402 at one end thereof. The coupler shaft 12 is disposed in the tubular sleeve 402 of the cover member 4, and has two opposite pivots extending rotatably into the pivot seats of the main body 6, thereby permitting rotation of the cover member 4 with respect to the main body 6. The coupler shaft 12 has a flat mating portion abutting against the flat mating portion of the tubular sleeve 402 in such a manner that when the cover member 4 rotates with respect to the main body 6, the tubular sleeve 402 simultaneously rotates with the cover member 4.
It is noted that in order to enhance the external appearance of the conventional flip phone and in order to attract the purchasing inspiration of the customers, the external surfaces of the cover member 4 and the main body 6 are generally coated with decorating paints (or electroplated). Frequent use of the conventional flip phone 2 results in folding and unfolding actions of the tubular sleeve 402 together with the cover member 4 relative to the main portion 6 (due to relative movement between the main body 6 and the cover member 4). Since each folding and unfolding actions of the tubular sleeve 402 results in rubbing against the upper surface of the main body 6, the decorated paint on the main body 6 and the tubular sleeve 402 will eventually peel off, thereby disposing the conventional flip phone in an ugly state or unattractive position.
To solve the aforesaid drawback, in one conventional flip phone, a rubber pad 20 is adhered on the upper surface of the main body 6 in order to prevent peeling off the decorated pain from the tubular sleeve 402 and the main body 6. However, the rubber pad 20 may displace on the main body 6 and deform after a long-term use. The paint peeling will occur once the rubber pad 20 falls off the main body 6.
In still another conventional flip phone, a stop member 22 is disposed between the pivot seats 602 of the main body 6 so as to define the unfolded angle of the cover member 4 relative to the main body 6 when the conventional flip phone is disposed in the used condition. Since the stop member 22 is made from hard material and is integrally formed with the main body 6, frequent resting of the tubular sleeve 402 on the stop member 22 when the conventional flip phone is in use in the long term can result in peeling off the decorated paint from the main body 6.